Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines



G. E. MOLYNEUX.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLlCATlON FILED APR. 5, 1913.

1,355,242. Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR fimz Z1... BY

ATTORNEY I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE.

GEORGE MOLYNEUX, F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed April 5, 1913. Serial No. 759,043.

7 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MoLY- NEUX, acitizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feeding Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a feeding mechanism for sewing machines and moreparticularly to the construction of the feed-dog and throat-plate andwill be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a machine having my improved feedingmechanism,'parts being broken away; Fig. 2 a top view of thethroat-plate and feed-dog; Fig. 3 a longitudinal section on the plane ofthe line 83 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a transverse section on the plane of theline 14 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a perspective of the adjustable feedway guidesof the throat-plate; Fig. 6 a perspective view of the three feedingsurfaces; Fig. 7 a perspective View of the support for the feedsurfaces, and Fig. 8 a similar .view of one of the laterally movablefeed surfaces. Similar reference numerals indicate similar parts in theseveral views.

'Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the arm of themachine, 2 the cylinder-bed, 3 the needle-bar, 4 the presserfoot bar, 4the presser-foot lifter, and 5 the power-shaft. These parts are all of Vusual and well known construction.

My improved feed-dog comprises a shank 6 secured to the carrier 7 by ascrew passing through an elongated slot 8 in said shank to provide forproper adjustment on the carrier. The shank 6 is formed with a T-head 9having a lengthwise undercut slot 10 adapted to receive the relativelymovable members having the feeding surfaces and to hold them againstlongitudinal movement independently of the shank. The portions of thefeed-dog provided with the feeding surfaces comprise the two outersections 11 and 12, and an intermediate shorter section 14, the latterbeing back of the needles, and all disposed symmetrically with referenceto the center line of the throat-plate. As shown in Fig. 6 each of thesections is mounted upon a base 13 corresponding in form to the undercutslot 10 and adapted to be assembled therein by insertion at one endofthe slot. The spaced toothed blocks of intermediate section 14 areintegral with thelr base, or the parts may be made separate and rigidlysecured together. To per mlt the outside sections 11 and 12 to be swunglaterally of the line of stitching they are pivoted on their bases eachby means of a pivot screw 15 tapped into the under side of one end ofthe section.

The throat-plate 16 is formed with two apertures 17 and 18, startingfrom a plane in front of the needle holes, and converging toward eachother in the direction of the line of stitching or away from theoperator. The end walls of these apertures, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5,are formed with shoulders upon which are adapted to be seated theprojecting ends of the pivoted feed-way guides 19 and 20, these guideshaving a through opening adapted to receive the outer sections 11 and 12of the feed-clog. The inner ends of the feed-way guides 19 and 20, orthe ends toward the operator, are pivotally secured by. screws 21 to theend walls of the apertures, and the outer ends of said guide-ways arepivotally secured, by means of screws 22, to the outer ends oftoggle-arms 23, said arms being pivotally connected at their inner endsto a rod 24, which rod at its other end is connected to one arm of abellcrank-lever 25. The other arm of said lever has a connection 26 to asuitable treadleand is held in its normal position by a spring 27. Insuch normal position the guides 19 and 20 will rest against the outerwalls of the apertures 17 and 18, respectively, thereby holding theouter ends of the feed-dog sections 11 and 12 the maximum distanceapart. The carrier 7 is connected through feedlever 28 to a bellcrank 29which receives its motion from an eccentric on the main-shaft 5 to giveto the feed-dog its stitch-length or feeding movement. The,feed-lift-isgiven by an eccentric 30 on the forward end of said shaft. j

The degree of convergence of the apertures 17 and 18,- and of the extentof movement of the guides 19 and 20 and the feeddog sections 11 and 12,may be varied to suit the character of the work, the object of theinvention in its present embodiment being primarily to automatically laptwo pieces of goods being stitched. In the operation of a machine havingthe described feed-dog, the timing of the feed is the same as usual,that is, the feeddogrise's as the needle rises, and

moves lengthwise of the stitching'when the needle is out of the'worlr.The two pieces of goods to be stitched are abutted as they enter themachine, but before a given section reaches'the needles the two piecesare acted upon by the outside feeding surfaces or sections 11 and 12, sothat when the latter are given their stitch length movement the twopieces will be lappedgbccause of the convergence of said sections inthe-direction of the line of stitching. Should it he desired withcertain goods to produce an amount of overlap greater than that providedwith the 7 sections 11 and 12 in their normal position,

the operator, by depressing the treadle is enabled to swing the'feed-wayguides 19 and 20 on their pivots, and by reason of the pivotal supportsof the feed sectionsll and 12 the latter willbe moved by the feed-wayguides when the latter are moved, to. bring the outer ends of thevfeedsections closer toget-her, thereby increasing the amount of overlapofthe goods; 7 V

' IVhileI have described and shown my invention in connection with amachine having a' cylindrical arm, it is to be understood that it may beused withaflat bed machine,

and that any known-form of means for givingcthe feed-dog 1ts movementmay be em 'ployed; I a V g V Having thus set -forth-the nature of theinvention,.what'I claim herein is 1.- In a feedlng mechanism for sewingmachines, a supporting element, two feedmeans for impartingoperativemovements to sald supporting element, means for bodilyreciprocating said feeding sections 7 transversely of the line of feed,and means whereby'the length of said reciprocating movements may bevariedat willduring the operation of the machine.

2. In a feeding Vmechanism for sewing machines, a carrier, two feedingsections supportedby said carrier for'sliding and turning movementsrelative thereto, and

means for imparting operative movements to said carrier. 7

3'. feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising, in comblnation, apan "of reciprocatlng feeding sections mounted for feeding movementsalong substantially straight paths arranged at an angle to one anotherand'means'for simultaneously vary- 7 ing the paths of feeding movementsof said sections-.-

4r. A feedingimechanism for sewing machines comprising, incomhination, afeedbar,;a su orting base movably mounted on sald feed-bar, a feed-dogsection movably mounted on said base, a guidei'having a surfacedisposed: at an angle to the line of stitching and adapted to guidesaidfeeddog section, and means for varying the angular. relation of saidguide to the line of stitching. v

5. In feeding mechanism' for sewing ma chines, a feed-clog comprisingtwo pivoted feeding sections inclined relatively to each' i other in thedirection of the line of stitching, and means for varying the angle ofincllnation of said sections relativejto each other, said means beinooperable during the feeding movement of the feed-clog.

6. V In feeding mechanism for sewing ma chines, a feed-dog comprisingtwo feeding sections converging toward each other in the direction ofthe line of stitching, and means under the control of theoperator forvaryin the angle of convergence.

7. In feeding mechanism for sewing ma chines, a fee'd dog comprising twopivoted feeding sections symmetrically disposed with respect to thecenter line of the throat-plate and converging toward each otherin thedirectlon of the l ne of stitching, the pivots of said section being inadvance of the needle holes, and Vrneans for moving the free I ends ofsaidsections toward or away from each other. 7 r 9. In'feeding mechanismfor sewing ma- 7 control of the operator for moving the free V chines, afeed-dog comprising two pivoted ing sections mounted thereon vfor bodilymovementstransversely of the line of feed,

ends of said sections'toward oraway from 7 each other." 7

10. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, a feed-dog comprising: twopivoted feeding'scctions, pivoted guides for said secions in which thesections have their stitch length feeding movement, and means for movingthe free ends of said guides toward or away from each other to: impartacor responding 'movement' to the feeding sec 'tions.

11. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, a feed-dog comprising twopivoted sections, pivoted guides for said sections, a

' 12. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, a feed-dog comprlsingtwo pivoted sections, pivoted guides 1 for said sections, a toggleconnecting the free-ends of said 1 shift-lever under the control of theoperator, 7

guides, and a lever under the control of the operator for operating saidtoggle to move the free ends of the guides and feeding sections towardor away from each other.

13. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, a feed-dog comprising acentral fixed section at the rear of the needle hole, and two pivotedsections extending on opposite sides of the needle hole convergingtoward each other in the direction of the line of stitching.

14:. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, a feed-dog comprising twopivoted feeding sections, having work-engaging surfaces lyingsubstantially in the same plane, means for reciprocating said dog toimpart simultaneous feeding movements to said sections, means for movingsaid sections bodily laterally toward and away from each other duringthe movements of the feed-dog, and means whereby said sections may bemanually shifted about their pivots to vary their angular relationshipto the line of feed.

15. A feeding mechanism including, in combination, a feed-bar, twofeeding elements arranged side-by-side and freely mounted on saidfeed-bar for bodily lateral and turning movements relative to saidfeedbar, and shiftable guiding means for controlling the amplitude ofthe bodily lateral movements of said feeding elements, said feedingelements being turned relative to the line of feed only during the shiftof said guiding means.

16. A feeding mechanism including, in combination, a feed-bar, twofeeding elements arranged side-by-side and sustained by said feed-barfor lateral movements relative to said feed-bar, guideway supportingmeans, guideways pivotally mounted on said supporting means andcooperating with the respective feeding elements for controlling thelateral movements thereof as the feedbar moves back and forth, andmanually controlled means for shifting said guideways angularly abouttheir respective pivots to vary the amplitude of lateral movement of thefeeding elements.

17. The combination with stitch-forming mechanism and feeding mechanismincluding a feed-bar, feeding teeth arranged on opposite sides of theline of seam formation and in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism,arms pivotally and slidably connected to the feed-bar in rear of thestitch-forming mechanism and projecting forwardly, each of said armssupporting the feeding teeth on its respective side of the line of seamformation, a guideway support, guideways carried by said support forcontrolling the amplitude of lateral sliding movements of the respectivearms as the feed-bar moves back and forth, and means whereby saidguideways may be shifted to swing said arms on their pivots and therebyvary the direction of. movement of said feeding teeth.

18. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,of feeding mechanism including a pair of fourmotion feed-dogs with meansfor moving them simultaneously in opposite directions laterally of theline of seam formation, and treadle controlled means for varying theamplitude of lateral movement of said dogs without stopping the machine.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,of a pair of pivotally mounted four-motion feed-dogs disposed in angularrelation to the line of seam-formation, and means under the control ofthe operator for varying at will the angular relation of said dogsrelative to the line of seam-formation.

20. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,of a pair of pivotally mounted four-motion feed-dogs, guides fordirecting the feeding movements of said feed-dogs and relative to eachof which guides its respective feed-dog is maintained in fixed angularrelation, and means whereby said guides may be shifted to vary theirangular relation to the line of seamformation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribin witnesses.

GIIOBGE E. MOLYNEUX. Witnesses:

HENRY A. KORNEMANN, J r. HENRY J. MILLER.

